Top 4: Amanda

Here are Amanda’s Top 4 favorite columns:

1. Full Court Press leads to revitalizing Court Avenue  This was my very first Des Moines Is NOT Boring post and covered my favorite establishments in downtown Des Moines. The downtown scene has grown even more since I wrote this post with more businesses thriving in the East Village and the Western Gateway. I’m proud of you, Des Moines.

Downtown Des Moines is dazzling me.  On a summer visit to the Court Avenue district for my girlfriend’s bachelorette party, I was astounded by the people out in masses.  Crowds strolled the streets, soaking up the nightlife and reveling in the many restaurants and bars that dot Court Avenue.

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2. Be a Kid Again on the Urban Assault Ride This event is still my favorite Des Moines bike race/obstacle course and welcomes all fitness levels. You still have time to get in on this year’s fun of bikes, beers and adventure, on August 12, 2012, in downtown Des Moines.

I have always been a sucker for game shows and reality shows with physical challenges.  It all started when I was a kid and my favorite show was Nickelodeon’s “Double Dare.”  The quiz show that ended in a run through a slime-filled obstacle course was the most amazing fun a young kid could have.  So, when I heard the “biggest bicycle scavenger hunt series in the nation” was adding Des Moines to it’s tour of the United States last year, I knew I had to be a part of it.

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3. Des Moines is NOT Boring Web Video Debut!  How could I leave out the post announcing the debut of the Des Moines Is NOT Boring web video that I produced utilizing beautiful photos from our devoted readers? I even wrote and recorded the original song, “Home” for the video. Now I’m just bragging, but it was seriously fun to see all the gorgeous photos that were submitted and piece them together to show once againt that Des Moines Is NOT Boring.

We are so excited to premiere our first-ever Des Moines is NOT Boring web video!  The impetus behind the video is showcasing the many dynamic events and places Des Moines offers residents and visitors while creating an interactive experience for our readers.  Photos showcasing Des Moines’ beauty are featured throughout the video and were all submitted by loyal readers of our blog.  The theme of the video is “home.”

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4. Spring is Upon us: Get Ready to Run This post still brings tears to my eyes when I read how much my friend Lori inspired me to start running and how her encouragement helped me to complete two 8K’s after never being a distance runner, ever, in my life. I love the part about running by my Grandpa’s nursing home too. Good stuff, people. Time for a run.

Don’t be fooled by the bizarre cold weather we have been having, including threats of snow in mid-April. Spring is on it’s way, I promise! That means it will be nice enough to start running outdoors again. Many local die-hard runners make it through the entire winter running outside. They jump over ice patches, hurdle snow banks and generally make the rest of us look like lazy slobs.

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